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The Relationship of Teacher-Child Interactions in Preschool Play to Young Children's Mathematical Ability

2010-2011

Funded by the Spencer Foundation

Principal Investigators: Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, Sudha Swaminathan
Co-Investigator: Xing Liu
Student Research Assistants: Christina Cammisa, Claire Fryer, Tasia Supino, Eliza Welling, Jenny Wolff, Kelly Zimmerman

The purpose of this study was to identify classroom interventions in play that are associated with math achievement in three- and four-year-olds. While researchers have long found strong relationships between young children's play and literacy, studies of teacher interactions in play and mathematics learning have not been conducted-despite the fact that math ability in preschool has been found to be one of the best predictors of later school success. For this study, 47 preschool children were video recorded during free play periods in their classrooms. All interactions with teachers during play time were coded. Teacher interactions related to number sense and to communication about mathematics were found to be associated with gains on a measure of mathematical thinking. "Good-fit" interactions in play-those in which a teacher's guidance matched the kind of support children needed in their play-were also related to higher math scores. Authors conclude that teachers can promote mathematical thinking through informal play interactions, but these must support, not interrupt, children's own, on-going play activities.

Video about the study and findings: The Relationship of Teacher-Child Interactions in Preschool Play to Young Children's Mathematical Abilities

See more Previous Studies

  • Trawick-Smith, J., Swaminathan, S., & Liu, X. (2015). The relationship of teacher-child play interactions to mathematics learning in preschool. Early Child Development and Care, 1-18.